Monday, April 18, 2011

Crimebuster: A Son's Search for His Father

 Crimebuster screened at a 1940s-era New Rheem theatre in Northern California over the weekend, which fit perfectly with many scenes of the story of Louis B. Dematteis, district attorney and superior court judge, and father of internationally famous photojournalist Lou Dematteis.  Lou -- on the right -- produced and directed, I co-produced and co-directed, and Rich Giacchino, left, was one of our fine editors.
  (For the audio of the Q&A, see the posting above.)
Handsome attendees with Italian roots


 Dematteis, despite danger to himself, cleaned up the county.  A good lawman served to help, Hal Moore, father of Gordon Moore, the founder of Intel Corporation.  I interviewed Gordon, who looks just like his father, the deputy sheriff.


I also was honored to interview Sandra Day O'Connor, not to mention spend two hours travel time talking to her informally the day of the interview.  Dematteis gave the former Supreme Court Justice her first job as a lawyer when no one else would hire her because she was a woman.













Left: Giacchino, moi, Beau Behan, Program Director of the California Independent Film Festival, where Crimebuster recently played to a full house, and Lou Dematteis.  

 The New Rheem Theatre was the scene of the Crimebuster screening, with one of the best question and answer sessions afterward we have ever had.  Of course, the conversation after a film is only as good as the audience -- and the filmmakers -- but it has me thinking:  I wouldn't mind "conversation screenings" of major features where the audience might participate in reaction to what it has just seen, and conversation further afield, just as at documentary screenings, with the filmmakers or others.  I wouldn't mind paying extra for a "conversation screening," either.
     I also loved the theatre, a throwback in design, wonderfully refreshed, to the 1930s and 40s when people went regularly to the movies. It was a communitarian, social event, far from the isolation of Netflix and Facebook.  Movie goers then expected a glamorous, gilded place to spend the evening.  Who knew such a place existed in almost-rural Moraga?